1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved data processing system and, in particular, an improved method, system and program for performing automated usability testing. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method, system and program for performing remote automated usability testing of a software application utilizing a data processing system connected within a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Customers determine the quality of a system. Typically quality is thought of in terms of being well-built, long-lasting, or defect free. While these are critical components of quality, it is important to realize that if a customer considers a product difficult to use, the customer is not likely to use the product enough to find out how well built the product is. In instances where customers are internal, and may not have the choice of using a system or not, there are still many reasons for making the system as usable as possible.
A broad term that may be utilized to describe the quality of a system or product is xe2x80x9cusability.xe2x80x9d A usability method, as defined herein, is a method for quantifying user interaction with a system. By quantifying user interaction with a system, the ability of a system or product to perform for users may be determined and utilized to aid in any re-engineering efforts. Multiple models for implementing usability methods have been created in order to quantify user interaction with a system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,262, incorporated by reference herein, provides a model for collection and analysis of usability data from a system user population. By this model, data collected may include the number of problems encountered, number of actions taken, time apportioned to problems, learning time, number of calls for assistance, and the number of unsolved problems. Data collected is quantified by one of multiple methods provided.
While usability testing provides for quantifying user interaction, current means available for performing usability testing to collect user interaction data are limited. Standard usability testing, for example, collects feedback from users in a controlled lab environment where typically a task script prompts the user through the software in order to test particular aspects of the software. In a controlled environment, however, users are limited to those who are available to travel to the lab. In addition, the amount of time that users are able to spend in lab testing is often limited. Furthermore, users tend to behave differently in a controlled lab environment than in their own environment where the product would typically be utilized.
One method for receiving user feedback outside of the controlled lab environment is through posting questionnaires on the internet or through other media with the software to be tested. Users respond to questions posed about particular software independent of their interaction with the software. By this method of remote testing, a user may provide feedback at their convenience. However, by this method, the step-by-step task scripts that are typically provided in the controlled lab environment and the ability to measure times and mouse movement are not available and thus this method of remote testing is limited in use.
It would be preferably to provide a method for performing remote usability studies utilizing step-by-step task scripts to guide users and collecting other data such as times and mouse movement. Further, it would be preferable that users in multiple environments provide usability data to a location remote from each of the multiple environments.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system for data processing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method, system and program for performing automated usability testing.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved method, system and program for performing remote automated usability testing of a software application utilizing a data processing system connected with a network.
In accordance with the method, system and program of the present invention, a user is provided with an automated usability test for a particular software application, wherein the automated usability test is to be activated while the particular software application is running utilizing a data processing system connected within a network. The user is prompted to perform particular tasks, in response to activation of the automated usability test while the software application is running. Data indicating the usability of the software application is gathered through user responses to the promptings. The gathered data is automatically sent to a data collection location at a remote site within the network, such that usability test data from multiple data processing systems in multiple remote user environments is gathered at a location remote from the multiple data processing systems.
All objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.